Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1915 — APPROPRIATION TO PRESERVE OLD GLORY [ARTICLE]

APPROPRIATION TO PRESERVE OLD GLORY

Representative W. L. Wood Writes to Defend Expense of Maintaining Old Battle Flags. Some of the local newspapers throughout the state have made objections to the appropriation made by the 69th General Assembly for the purpose of preserving of the old battle flags. The appropriation made by this assembly was $2,500 less than the appropriation in 1909. It may be that better economy might have been used in all of the appropriations in the past but if one will make a personal investigation of the old flags and see their state of preservation in the state capitol will be convinced that there is some merit in the appropriation made by the 69th General Assembly as the work begun would be of very little benefit if it was not completed.'

The preservation of these flags is of patriotic benefit to the generation unborn. Patriotism will never die so long as we and our posterity have the opportunity to look on old Glory and perpetrate its real meaning. The cases that contain the flags of the different companies organized in Indiana, belbnging to regiments who fought for the rights of the people in the war with Mexico and defended and preserved the Union in the civil war, are preserved in cases made of bronze with glass fronts and backs, standing about 9 feet square, making a beautiful display. Most of the flags have a statement showing the number of men killed and died of disease, which is of great interest to those whose fathers or brothers or acquaintances lost their lives on the battlefield in the defense of their cbuntry. The flags will be preserved for centuries as tokens of freedom and peace to the American people and the civilized world. The old soldier and his posterity may. look upon it with pride. The following is a list of the companies as shown by the flag’s inscription. Independent battery of light artillery:

No. 1 lost 39 men. No. 2 lost 28 men. No. 3 lost 28 men. No. 4 lost 28 men. No. 5 lost 36 men. No. 6 lost 17 men. No. 7 lost 29 men. No. 8 lost 15 men. No. 9 lost 61 men. Ipfan|ry Volunteer: - < ■ No. 6 lost 267 men. No. 7 lost 229 men. No. 8 lost 262 men. No. 9 lost 253 men. No. 10 lost 186 men. No. 11 lost 280 men. No. 12 lost 295 men. No. 13 lost 255 men. No. 14 lost 222 men. No. 15 lost 302 men. No. 15 lost 183 men. No. 16 lost 239 men. No. 17 lost 237 men. No. .18 lost 204 men. No. 36 lost 245 men. ' No. 37 lost 236 men. * No. 38 lost 411 men. No. 39 lost 398 men. No. 40 lost 359 men. No. 42 lost 210 men. No. 43 lost 246 men. No. 44 lost 309 men. No. 46 lost 268 men. No. 47 lost 236 men. No. 48 lost 267 men. No. 51 lost 203 men. No. 52 lost ’203 men. No. 53 lost 359 men. No. .59 lost 236 men. No. 75 lost 232 men. Mexican flags numbering 2-3-4 number lost not shown. The number of cases in which the flags are preserved at the present time are 59. Some of the companies had two flags as the patriotic women of Madison, Ind., presented some of the flags used in the Mexican war to their Indiana companies and other patriotic people presented extra flags to the Indiana regiments engaged in the civil war. I feel that the sentiment that prevails in the United States on which our great state is known should ever be perpetuated. Hands Off Old Glory. They shall not hoist.thee, Glory! Upon tfifistrangers’ ships! Unknown to them thy story, x Thy song unto their lips! < If thou, in battle-thunder, Must float above the sea, We must be fighting under Thy starry canopy! Hands off! Ticonderoga Rises odt of the past! The field of Saratogo, And Erie’s iron-blast! ’.7. ■ '7 P J' ■ McHefirjfs’ defiance,r " When thy great song was bora In patriot’s reliance,

And Britain’s pride was shorn! And every battle-furrow, With bitter tear-drops healed! Hands off! To him who’d borrow Our stripes and starry shield! - She teHs our country’s story cun. v ” / '--a